The Silhouettes of Ambition

The same photograph, varying exposure

I think a lot about how terms of photography are used as metaphors for information. Exposure and in a certain light are politically correct ways to talk around an otherwise obvious truth, in the way I underexposed the above photograph to feature the jet engine outside the window as opposed to the wheelchair inside. In the first photo, it’s more difficult to debate the look of the wheelchair. It’s just as hard to discern a majority of the plane. But in those areas of speculation is space for pointless, and endless, debate.

Like art and culture in the USA before it, journalism and the public discourse has been consumed by the demands of capitalism and entertainment—now simply a matter of set lighting, manipulation and composition. It’s not that anything can really be done about this situation, but nothing good comes from ignoring this nightmare either.

This website will concern itself with ideas like these moving forward.